NBRC Announces $43.6 Million in 2023 Catalyst Grant Awards for Economic Development As Part of Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2023
Contact: Andrea Smith, Program Director
asmith@nbrc.gov
(603) 369-3001

CONCORD, N.H. (August 23, 2023) – Today, the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) announced $43.6 Million in new awards, including nearly $20 Million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as part of the Commission’s inaugural Catalyst Program competition. The 66 Catalyst Awards will go to communities in the Commission’s member states of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont and include a broad range of economic development initiatives such as projects that will: modernize and expand water and wastewater systems; revitalize transportation infrastructure; establish workforce development programs and facilities; grow outdoor recreation infrastructure and economies; and construct new childcare and healthcare facilities. These projects are matched by public and private investments, resulting in $208.5 Million in total investment across the four-state NBRC region. With the addition of funds provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Commission increased the scale of investments in infrastructure projects and funded the largest awards in its history. These projects will unfold over the next three years, and all of this year’s awardees are listed on the NBRC’s website, www.nbrc.gov.

The 2023 Catalyst Program grant round was highly competitive, with 187 Applications received and more than $151 Million in funding requests. The Catalyst Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. The slate of selected projects advance NBRC investment priorities to reach underserved communities and build a resilient region: 35 of the Commission’s awards are going to communities with less than 5,000 people, and 30 to communities and organizations who are receiving their first NBRC funding award.

”A hallmark of the NBRC is its ability to flexibly support a broad range of needs in rural communities in our region. That quality is a common thread among the awards the Commission is announcing today. These awards include central components of infrastructure upon which successful economies are built, and range from pipes, roads and fiber lines, to childcare programs, outdoor recreation infrastructure, working waterfronts, and everything in between. The Commission’s ability to incorporate that flexibility into grant making is directly attributable to the once in a generation support that came from President Biden and Congress working together to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the historic level of annual funding Congress included in last year’s spending bills,” said NBRC Federal Co-Chair Chris Saunders.

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and his vision for growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up – Bidenomics – is creating opportunity across the country. Already, as a result of legislation passed by President Biden, the Biden-Harris Administration has awarded $280 billion in funding for 37,000 infrastructure projects across the country. Companies have announced over $500 billion in investments in the United States since President Biden took office, and the Administration has helped over 20 million households save money on their internet costs.

The funds for this program, and all NBRC programs, are available thanks to the support of the Congressional Delegations of all four NBRC states: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Depending on the availability of funds in 2024, the NBRC anticipates another round of Catalyst awards in 2024. Please refer to NBRC’s website, www.nbrc.gov, for announcements about current and future Funding Opportunities.

Click Here for the full Press Release which includes awardees by State